Top 15 Things to Do This Christmas (For My Black People)

The holidays hit different when you’re celebrating with your people. Christmas in Black households isn’t just about the day itself—it’s about the traditions, the gatherings, the food that takes you back to childhood, and the culture that makes everything feel like home.

Whether you’re keeping it low-key or going all out, here’s how to make this Christmas one for the books.

1. Host a Proper Soul Food Feast

Forget the dry turkey. I’m talking about mac and cheese that’ll make you emotional, greens cooked down with ham hocks, cornbread dressing, candied yams with the marshmallows on top, and a honey-baked ham that’s glazed to perfection. Get auntie’s recipes out and spend that Christmas Eve in the kitchen.

The house smelling like heaven is half the experience. And if you’re feeling fancy, add some oxtails or jerk chicken to the spread. This is our culinary heritage on full display, and there’s no shame in going back for thirds.

2. Support Black-Owned Businesses for Gift Shopping

This Christmas, let’s keep our dollars circulating in the community. From bookstores to boutiques, skincare lines to jewelry designers, Black entrepreneurs are creating magic. Check out online directories, hit up local markets, or browse Instagram for Black-owned gift options.

That nephew who loves to read? Get him books from a Black-owned bookstore. Your sister who’s into wellness? Find a Black woman making natural hair products or handmade candles. It’s about more than gifts—it’s about building generational wealth in our communities.

3. Watch All the Black Christmas Classics

Make it a movie marathon situation. We’re talking “The Best Man Holiday” (tissues required), “This Christmas” with Loretta Devine holding it down, “Black Nativity” for that gospel music experience, and “Almost Christmas” for the family drama we all recognize.

Throw in some “The Preacher’s Wife” for good measure, because Denzel and Whitney are timeless. Pop some popcorn, get cozy under the blankets, and let these films remind you what the season is really about—family, forgiveness, and finding your way back home.

4. Attend a Gospel Christmas Concert

There’s nothing quite like gospel music during the holidays. Whether it’s your local church’s Christmas program or a big-name concert, the combination of those harmonies, the organ, and songs like “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “Mary Did You Know” performed with soul will fill you with the true Christmas spirit.

Kirk Franklin’s Christmas album stays on repeat in my house. The energy, the praise breaks, the collective joy—it’s church and Christmas morning wrapped into one powerful experience.

5. Do a Kwanzaa Celebration (December 26-January 1)

Christmas doesn’t mean Kwanzaa gets forgotten. Light the kinara, reflect on the seven principles (Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba, Imani), and center yourself in African heritage and community values. It’s about remembering where we come from and recommitting to uplifting each other.

Host a Kwanzaa gathering with your crew, discuss what each principle means in your life right now, share some African-inspired dishes, and let the kids learn about their roots. Both celebrations can coexist beautifully.

6. Organize a White Elephant Gift Exchange with a Twist

Take the traditional white elephant game and make it us. Set a theme—”Gifts from the corner store,” “Things that remind you of growing up Black,” or “Best finds from the beauty supply.” The chaos when someone steals that good bonnet or those premium edge control products? Unmatched. Add some spades or dominoes to the mix, turn on the Christmas R&B playlist, and you’ve got yourself a whole vibe. The laughter alone will be worth it.

7. Recreate Your Childhood Christmas Traditions

Remember when Christmas morning meant waking up at 5 AM, not being allowed to go downstairs until everybody was up, then finally rushing to see what Santa brought? Recreate those moments. Play the same albums your parents played—Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas,” The Temptations’ “Silent Night,” or Donny Hathaway’s entire Christmas collection.

Make your mama’s hot chocolate recipe. Put out the good china like y’all used to. Sometimes going back is the best way to move forward, especially when you’re creating new memories with your own family.

8. Give Back to Your Community

The holidays are about abundance, and when we have, we share. Volunteer at a food bank, donate toys to a children’s home, or organize a coat drive for folks who need warmth this winter. Black mutual aid networks are always looking for support.

You could also sponsor a family through your church or community organization, making sure another Black family has a Christmas to remember. Our ancestors survived because we took care of each other—let’s keep that tradition alive.

9. Have a Christmas Day Game Tournament

Spades. Dominoes. Bid whist. Uno with the house rules that would get you arrested in other households. Set up tables, create brackets, and let the competition begin. Winner gets bragging rights until next Christmas and maybe some actual prize money thrown in.

The trash talk, the dramatic plays, the accusations of cheating—it’s all part of the culture. Just make sure someone’s filming because the moments when Uncle gets caught reneging are pure gold.

10. Create a Christmas Playlist That Actually Slaps

Yes, we love the classics, but let’s also celebrate the range. Mix in some Mariah (she’s honorary, we claim her), add runs from the Clark Sisters, throw in some Luther Vandross crooning, get some contemporary gospel from Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and don’t sleep on the Christmas albums from John Legend, Mary J. Blige, or Fantasia.

Create different playlists for different moods, one for cooking, one for the family gathering, one for when it’s just you reflecting on the year. Music sets the tone for everything.

11. Host a Pajama Christmas Brunch

Christmas morning doesn’t have to be chaotic. Invite your closest friends over for a late-morning brunch, everyone stays in their pajamas, bonnets optional but encouraged. Serve chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, mimosas with fresh-squeezed orange juice, and biscuits that would make your grandmother proud.

Exchange small gifts, share what you’re grateful for, and enjoy each other’s company before the day gets busy. It’s intimate, it’s cozy, and it’s exactly the kind of joy we deserve.

12. Document Everything

Take the pictures. Record the videos. Capture cousin Tay Tay doing the Cupid Shuffle in the living room, get a shot of the food table before everybody destroys it, film grandma telling that same story from 1967 that somehow gets funnier every year.

These moments matter. Our stories matter. Years from now, you’ll want to remember exactly how it felt when everybody was together, healthy, and happy. Plus, the content you’ll have for the ‘gram? Unbeatable.

13. Have the “Real Talk” Conversations

Christmas gatherings are one of the few times we’re all in the same place. Use that time wisely. Check in on your people—really check in. Ask your brother how he’s actually doing. Talk to your cousin about their dreams.

Listen to your elders’ stories while they’re still here to tell them. Have the conversations about family history, about where we come from, about what needs to be said. Some of the most important moments happen between the dinner and the dessert.

14. Create New Traditions That Honor Who You Are Now

Maybe you’re building a chosen family. Maybe you’re celebrating with your partner’s family for the first time. Maybe you’re creating Christmas for your own kids and want to do things differently. That’s beautiful. Start your own traditions that reflect who you are and what matters to you now.

Whether it’s a Christmas Eve candlelight dinner, an annual trip to see lights in your city, or a commitment to reading a specific book every Christmas, make it yours. Tradition isn’t just about the past; it’s about what we choose to carry forward.

15. Rest, Sis (and Bro)

Real talk: you don’t have to do everything. You don’t have to attend every gathering, cook every dish, or perform joy if you’re not feeling it. Sometimes the most revolutionary thing we can do is rest. If this Christmas season needs to be quiet for you, honor that. Light a candle, put on your favorite movie, order takeout, and just be.

We carry so much throughout the year, sometimes the best gift we can give ourselves is permission to simply exist without expectation. Your mental health and peace matter more than any tradition.